Exemplary embodiments herein generally relate to a control switch which can be mounted on a vehicle steering column for selectively actuating and controlling a vehicle function.
Automobiles commonly provide one or more control switches mounted on the steering column for controlling turn signals, headlights and/or windshield wipers. A known multifunctional control switch or wiper lever assembly is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1. The windshield wiper control switch 100 includes a handle 102 which can be displaced to initiate a plurality of wiper functions, such as setting various wiper speed settings. More particularly, the handle 102 can be moved between an off position, and several windshield wiper actuating positions including a low speed position, a high speed position and an intermittent or delay position at which the windshield wipers operate intermittently but at a variable rate. The handle 102 can be also be moved from the off position to a mist position which provides low speed operation of the windshield wipers only while held in that position. Also, the driver can actuate a windshield wash function by pulling the handle 102 to an operating position, from which position it is spring-biased back to off, so that the wash function only operates when the control switch is positively held in that position.
This known wiper control switch 100 can also include a rotatable operating control 110 on the outer end of the handle 102 which can selectively control the variable rate of the wipers in the intermittent position. The variable rate depends upon the rotational position of the control 110. The control has multiple rotational positions, with the various rotational positions being indicated as various indicia 112 are brought into registry with a marker 114. Rotation of the control 110 throughout a continuum of delay positions causes the period between actuations of the windshield wiper to vary.
Since, in many instances, the driver will be operating the windshield wipers and the washer system in bad driving conditions, an important feature of the multifunction control switch is that it be fully operable with one hand and without requiring the driver to observe the control switch. Therefore, the known wiper control switch 100 provides tactile feedback to the driver to inform the driver when a particular wiper speed or rate has been set. For example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the control switch 100 includes a selector assembly 120 for providing tactile feedback. The selector assembly includes a non-movable member 122 and a movable member 124 coupled to the control 110 for rotation therewith. The member 122 includes a pair of diametrically spaced projections 126 which are aligned with the marker 114. The member 124 includes a plurality of evenly spaced detents or ridges 130. With this arrangement, when the driver turns the control 110 clockwise or counterclockwise the detents 130 engage the projections 126 and the driver feels a tactile “click”. While the known wiper lever assembly provides adequate tactile feedback to the driver, the “clicks” are equally spaced, which can still require the driver to look at the switch control switch 100 in order to determine the intermittent rate of the wipers and which direction increases the wiper rate and which direction decreases the wiper rate.